Rotorua

This is such a popular area that I was expecting it to be overun with tourists and not to enjoy it at all, but it was really good!
Rotorua itself is a strange place - looking quite normal with shops, hotels and the rest, but then you will see an area that is producing steam from a hole in the ground, or there is a lake steaming away, and then the smell of sulphur everywhere. The Museum is great and we enjoyed that. It has a lot about Maori history and culture and how the area was used for treatment.
We chose to explore in detail the 'thermal wonderland' at Wai-o-tapu. It has everything, a geyser induced to erupt with a bar of soap, silica formations, hot pools in colours from pea green to turquoise, orange and green deposits and a pervading sulphurous smell. Many holes in the ground with evil looking mud bubbling away.
We finished our NZ trip having great fun on th luge and I will never know how Ian didn't come off as he overtook me at great speed on the final bend. Finally a Polynesian spa and massage - very luxurious!